Luke 2

29-32 Then Simeon praised God. He could now die in peace, because he had seen the salvation that God had promised, the salvation not only of Israel, but of the GENTILES also—the salvation of the entire world (Psalm 98:2-3; Isaiah 49:6; 52:10).

33 Even though the angel had told Mary and Joseph that their son Jesus was the Savior, the Son of God, they were still amazed at Simeon’s words. Their son would be the Savior not only of Israel, but of the whole world!

34 After blessing Mary, Joseph, and their child, Simeon said, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel.” Those who believe in Christ and accept the salvation He brings will “rise.” Those who reject Him will “fall,” that is, be condemned (see John 3:18,36). Christ is the cornerstone upon which the church, the “new sign that will be spoken againstIsrael,” will rise (see Ephesians 2:1921; 1 Peter 2:6 and comments). But that same stone, if rejected, will become a stone by which men fall (see Matthew 21:44; 1 Peter 2:7-8 and comment).

Simeon also said that Jesus would be a sign that will be spoken against. Jesus is a sign of judgment. He came the first time to save men, but He will come a second time to judge them (see Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; 14:61-62; John 5:22-23 and comments). Jesus came with a sword to separate the righteous from the unrighteous (Matthew 10:34). Jesus is a “sign” which says: “All those who do not place their faith in me and follow me are doomed. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Nevertheless, most of the Jews, the very people Christ came first to save, rejected Him and spoke against Him and, in the end, killed Him. The Jews, the chosen and blessed people of God, lost their blessing, lost their inheritance; they fell. And the blessing passed to the Gentiles who believed and accepted Christ (Matthew 21:43).

35 The coming of Christ into the world would cause the thoughts of many hearts to be revealed. It would then be manifest who had faith and who hadn’t, who were the true servants of God and who were not. It is not outward righteousness that God looks at; it is our attitude toward Christ that is most important. Only those who receive Christ’s righteousness through faith will in the end be considered righteous by God (see Galatians 2:15-16 and comment).

Then Simeon prophesied that Mary’s soul would be pierced by a sword. The “sword” was the murder of her own son. She would watch the leaders of her own nation kill her firstborn son on the CROSS.

36-38 After Simeon had spoken, Anna, a prophetess, also spoke about the child Jesus. She was of the tribe of Asher.¹³ She spoke to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Many among the Jews of Jerusalem were indeed waiting for the Messiah, the Savior, to come and bring redemption for Israel. Yet when He did come, most of them did not recognize Him. They did not believe that the Son of God would be born in a manger, the son of a poor carpenter and a village woman.

39 Luke here says that the family of Jesus returned to their own town of Nazareth in the province of Galilee, in northern Israel. But before they returned, they were visited by astrologers from the East, as described in Matthew 2:1-12. Then, in fear of the wicked King Herod, the family fled to Egypt (see Matthew 2:13-23). Only after Herod died did Joseph and Mary return to Nazareth with Jesus.

40 Nothing else is known about Jesus’ early childhood except what is written in verses 40-52. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He had taken on Himself the form of a man, and was born of a woman. Therefore, like other men, Jesus had to grow and become strong. But from the beginning, He was filled with the wisdom and the grace of His heavenly Father.

41 Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish nation. It was also the location of the great Jewish temple, the center of worship for all Jews (see Mark 13:1 and comment). Every year thousands of Jews traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the PASSOVER (see Mark 14:1 and comment). So each year Joseph and Mary also traveled to Jerusalem for this purpose.

42-45 When Jesus was twelve, Joseph and Mary went with Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover as usual, but when it came time to return home, Jesus did not go with His parents. There were hundreds of Jews who were returning together to Nazareth, and Joseph and Mary assumed that Jesus was in the group but walking with relatives and friends instead of with His parents. But after walking a day, Joseph and Mary discovered that Jesus was not with the group at all. So Joseph and Mary returned to Jerusalem.

46-48 After three days they found Jesus in the temple talking with the teachers of the law. Those who heard Jesus were amazed at His understanding (verse 47). But His parents rebuked Him for giving them such anxiety.

49-50 But Jesus replied, “You should have known where to find me. I have things to do in my Father’s house”—that is, in the temple.

From this we know that Jesus, even in childhood, knew that He was God’s Son, the Messiah. But His parents still didn’t fully understand why their twelve-year-old son had to stay behind in the temple for three days.

51-52 Jesus’ parents insisted that He return home with them, and Luke says that He was obedient to them. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature.

After this, little is known about Jesus until He came to be baptized by John the Baptist about eighteen years later. From Mark 6:3, it seems that Jesus learned to be a carpenter like His father Joseph (Matthew 13:55).